How to Prepare for Worlds

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You’ve been through all the hoops already — your team competed, you’ve mastered your elite stunt, your basket toss has never looked better, and now your team got a World’s bid! Congratulations. But, now what? While you can always look to your coach for guidance, there are a few things you need to keep in mind while preparing for your big trip to Orlando.

Stay Focused

Your team has the bid, which is a great start. However, that doesn’t mean you’re going to slay when it actually matters. The Worlds competition happens at the end of April, meaning your team is probably exhausted and a little burned out from the season. When athletes lose focus and stop paying attention to their technique, they are much more likely to sustain a serious injury. Don’t let that happen to you or your teammates. Listen carefully to your coach, give your best, and don’t lose your focus.

Make a Checklist

Imagine showing up to Worlds in Orlando and realizing you forgot your bow. Yikes! Make a checklist now of things you will need to bring with you on your trip. As the days go on and practices get tougher, you can add whatever you’ll need to the list as you think of it. Bow? Check. Socks? Check. Sweat towel? Check. Lucky stuffed animal? You bet. Whatever you need to succeed, bring it with you.

Positivity is Key

Remember, it is a major honor to receive a Worlds bid. Thousands of athletes all over the world work long hours to earn a bid and just fall short. With that in mind, be proud of your accomplishment. Many athletes become discouraged when their teams go up against the big names in cheer and don’t place as well as they would have liked. However, even last place at Worlds is still a huge victory. Stay positive and excited that you were given such an exciting opportunity. Don’t waste it on stressing about placements.

Cherish Your Team

Worlds is often the final event of the season, meaning the teammates you are surrounded by in this moment will no longer be your teammates after that final two and a half minutes. Take a moment to say something kind to each one of them and let them know how much of an impact they have made on you over this past season. For those of you feeling a little ambitious, make them a gift of some kind to say “thank you.” We know they will love it.

Good Luck!

From all of us at WSA Cheer, we wish you the best of luck at Worlds! While there are over a hundred national cheerleading competitions, there is only one competition quite like this. We know your team is going to do an amazing job. We’ll be watching and cheering you on!

Be sure to take a look at our cheerleading competition schedule for next season and sign up for the events nearest you. With Grand Nationals and opportunities for medals, jackets, and bids, these are not the competitions to miss. We’ll see you soon!